Optimization And Characterization Of Exopolysaccharides Produced By Bacillus Mycoides Isolated From Soil

Abstract

The production of exopolysaccharide (EPS) by bacteria that live in soil has a significant biotechnology application with a wide range of uses in environmental remediation, food industry, and medicine. The current work focuses on isolating and thoroughly characterizing EPS-producing Bacillus mycoides isolated from soil with the aim of optimizing growing conditions for enhanced EPS production. Initially, soil samples were collected, and bacterial strains were isolated and screened for EPS production. This screening was performed using morphological, biochemical profiling, and molecular identification methods, a very effective EPS generator among the isolates was recognized and verified as Bacillus mycoides. Using a one-variable-at-a-time (OVAT) approach, several physicochemical parameters, such as pH, temperature, carbon and nitrogen sources, and incubation duration, were adjusted to increase EPS yield as an optimized medium for enhanced EPS production. A variety of analytical methods, such as Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS), Thin Layer Chromatography (TLC), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), and UV–Visible Spectroscopy, were utilized to investigate the EPS that was extracted from the optimized culture. These techniques identified possible bioactive components, defined the composition of monosaccharides, and verified the existence of particular functional groups of exopolysaccharides. Overall, the study demonstrates that EPS derived from Bacillus mycoides exhibits significant promise for industrial and biomedical applications. Its enhanced yield, structural integrity, and antimicrobial potential highlight its suitability for the formulation of environmentally friendly and sustainable microbial polysaccharide-based products.